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BRP Alternative Character Advancement 2.1


About This File

A couple of my players have voiced concerns about the slow pace and random nature of advancement for characters in the BRP system (we meet 2 to 3 times a month, and every couple of months, we actually get to devote an entire day to gaming . . . old school style!). So I did some research, gathered and distilled ideas expressed on forums and came up with a point-system that sits neatly on top of current concepts and processes within the game.

In a nut-shell: This method still depends on a player getting check-marks for successfully using a skill. If a character earned a check mark next to a skill, they automatically get 1% added to that skill at the end of the session. The GM then awards experience points at the end of the session that can be used to increase skills, Alignment/Allegiance, or characteristics. Skills and characteristics that your character used in game go up faster (more cheaply). Allegiances will go up 1% (or more) automatically, each time the GM awards one (or more) points the character, in addition to being able to be raised via experience points.

The strength of this system is that it provides relatively even advancement between PCs, and the players and GMs can use it adjust the pace of character advancement as desired.

Note that I've included rules to include concepts from Classic Fantasy.

A note about version 1.6; a player observed that beyond character generation, class and profession skills are generally undistinguished from other skills. This observation resonated with other complaints on the forums that eventually characters may start to resemble each other (although in my campaign, I don't see that happening), so I added the rule that non-class and non-profession sills cost more to advance. He was looking for a break on the cost of class and professional skills, but I decided that the opposite tack would produce the same result. Yes, sometimes I can be that kind of GM . . . ;-)

As is usual, your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

John P Meyers


What's New in Version 2.1   See changelog

Released

  • 2.1 - I've expanded the skill progression chart to 200+ and the ruling so that costs will be based solely upon the skill ranks (points) devoted to the skill being advanced. . . it's simpler and it partly compensates for the slightly increased costs of progression.
  • Also, I've increased the costs of raising advanced characteristics . . . give it look.
  • The costs now have a logical arithmetical progression . . .
  • 2.0 - added rules for training and research.
  • 1.6 - removed multi-class penalty from professions and made it more expensive to buy skill advancements outside of PCs profession.
  • 1.55 revamped how allegiance points are awarded
  • 1.5 I tweaked the allegiance and characteristic advancement a bit:
  • 1.4 added a couple of explanatory paragraphs, and re-organized charts and placement of information on the charts.
  • 1.3 completed class conversion (assigned Proficiency)
  • 1.2 re-worded some headers for clarity, added the 'in a nut-shell' over-view of the system.
  • 1.1 added an additional cost to advance characteristics beyond racial maximums and restricted characteristic advancements to 1 per session. Fixed Multi-class example, and added the Math/rules for advancing characteristics using training. Added a note about training between sessions.
  • Like 1

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